I don't want to turn this into a political thread but some people have short memories who royally slag her off. Labour had driven the country into the ground in the 70's leading to the Tories win at the 79 election.

Late entry for "yossarian's" benefit - "The one is part of, and maintains the other" with regard to the UK and it's foreign policy is not saying "you hate the U.K." - the letters are different and arranged in a completely different pattern.

I have no idea what you're talking about but think you may be confusing me with someone else, who DID actually say that you hate the UK. In those exact words...

Yeah well I was brought up in very straightened-circumstances through the 80's

The point is that it was still a more straitened time for some than others..

I'm quite sure that you believe that your admiration for success is very noble..
But some of the people queueing for a chance to shit in the mouth of Thatchers still warm corpse would be justifiably very offended at your churlish impudence..

RIP John - comments on here on Ireland without knowing or understanding the situation are in poor taste.

Some people on here should look closer to home at the situation in their own mainland towns and cities before casting aspersions. It's very easy to compare the moralising some of you nerks do on here without the reality of history or what it was really like during the 'troubles'. John was a man of his time, needed when things where tough, when political solutions had failed; wish that it wasn't so but it looks like we will always require a military solution when all else fails, so if you're not prepared to get your hands dirty and do the job then probably best to keep quiet.

And on the quasi political theme of Thatcher let's just say one thing for all political 'rulers' in GB they're all rotten to the core. Governments change but nothing changes. Even now to the point where the recent riots are laughable when you consider the outrage of MP's who only until recently stole from you and me through the expenses scandal so please stop whinging about Thatcher ; they're all crap.

In the words of Billy Connolly 'if you wouldn't buy them a drink in a bar then don't vote for them'!

In my very limited experience a lot of non politcal stuff went on under the IRA banner. Not only was it not political it wasn't military in any way.
I'm talking about people claiming to be IRA when in fact they were just organised crime. Without realizing it they must have been using up a lot of time and resources.
Though I did hear tale of criminals using the IRA name comming a cropper.